


Beach Days

by The_Risen_Phoenix



Series: In Your Head [3]
Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Nero is a good Mate, Nightmares, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:00:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24712759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Risen_Phoenix/pseuds/The_Risen_Phoenix
Summary: Finally, Nero and V have managed to get away to go on their much needed vacation.But unfortunately, not everything is smooth sailing.
Relationships: Nero/V (Devil May Cry)
Series: In Your Head [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1739143
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	Beach Days

Nero woke to the gentle sounds of of waves crashing against the beach, the tang of salt filling his nostrils. Reaching out a questing hand, Nero encountered not the warm body of his mate, but empty sheets. If he were to take a guess, Nero would say that V had been gone for quite a while if the coolness of the sheets was any indication.

It was only then that Nero managed to catch the sound of the shower running, eyes turning towards the clock glowing softly on the bedside table. _4.30am_.; much too early for V to be up yet. With a sense of rising dread, Nero tugged the covers from his body, stumbling from the bed, and heading towards the connected bathroom.

“V?” Nero knocked on the door quietly, ear pressed against the wood, trying to hear a response. There was nothing. “V?” He tried again.

When there was still no answer, Nero tried turning the door knob, relieved to discover that V had not locked the door. The faint acrid tang of vomit filled the air, steam from the shower obscuring Nero's view as he stepped inside the tiled room.

“V?” Nero scanned the room for his mate, eyes finally landing upon the other man sitting listlessly on the ground, water pounding down upon his bowed head.

With a stifled yell of surprise, Nero hurried forwards, grabbing a hold of a towel and shutting off the flow of water. V's skin was a bright, painful looking red, and was burning hot to the touch. Nero wrapped him carefully in the towel, bending down to gather him up into his arms. V stirred slightly as he was shifted, eyes hazed and unfocused, head starting to loll to the side.

Carrying V back out to the bedroom, Nero gently dabbed at his moist skin to dry him, wincing slightly at the sight of the scarring across V's chest. It looked like V had tried scrubbing or even scratching at the star-burst, angry red marks covering the area. Wrapping the newly dried V in a fluffy robe, Nero tucked him back under the covers, curling protectively around him; hands running gently through his hair, murmuring quietly to him all the while to try to bring V back to reality. Finally, after what felt like hours, V started to stir.

“N..nero?” V's voice was hoarse, whether from vomiting or other reasons, Nero could not tell; but it relieved him that V was finally responding.

“Hey V,” his voice was soft and soothing. “How are you feeling?”

“I don't know...” V trailed off uncertainly, hands reaching out to grasp at Nero's sleep shirt, fingers crumpling the fabric in their tight grip.

“Another nightmare?”

V shifted closer at the question, burrowing his head into the crook of Nero's neck; a slight nod of his head the only response.

“It's stupid, I should be over this by now. It's been months.” V berated himself.

Nero pulled back slightly, tilting V's head up so that their eyes could meet. “It's not stupid V. You went through hell and back, and no one could possibly think of blaming you for 'not getting over it'.”

With no free hands currently, V had to imagine the quotation marks that Nero had used in relation to his statement, though the sarcastic way he spoke let him know how silly Nero thought he was being. It was just.....V wasn't used to feeling vulnerable and weak like this. All of his life, regardless of being an Omega – often considered weak, or lesser – he had always been strong, independent; in control of his life. But then Vergil had happened, and suddenly he found himself sharing his body with an Alpha; constantly fighting to retain control over himself and not allow the other man to take over.

And if that hadn't been bad enough, Vergil had used his body to force Nero and himself into a mate bond, that neither man had agreed to. That had not ended up being too terrible a consequence in the long run, as both men had already begun to harbour feelings for the other, but the fact that their choice and free will had been taken from them had been devastating. V had never really thought that he would ever find a mate; at least not one that wouldn't try to change him into what most people perceived Omegas to be. But Nero was different; had let him be himself, encouraged him even – besides those times pre-heat that were amusing now, but had been irritating at the time.

And then to top it all off, Vergil had not only chosen to remove himself forcefully from his person, uncaring of the great possibility of V's demise, when he had been made aware of his continued survival, he had harboured thoughts of taking V as a breeder. V shuddered at the very thought of that happening, Nero's arms tightening comfortingly around him, possibly aware of the direction V's thoughts had drifted off to.

This wasn't the first time that V had woken with nightmares, in fact they had had to delay their holiday for several months for this very reason. V had just not been recovering as well as they had all hoped, body weak and tired still, but constant nightmares keeping him up at night, further tiring out his already weakened body. Nico had recommended V try sleeping aids, but they had discovered that they made the issue worse – trapping V in the nightmare, unable to wake on his own.

Time had been the only healer in V's case unfortunately – Nero staying by his side throughout each and every one to help V – though the nightmares had thankfully lessened to only a few a month by now. Nero had decided that some sun and ocean air would be good for his recovery, and Nico and Kyrie had jumped on the idea, rebooking all of their delayed travel plans, and practically pushing both men out of the door. Just before they had left, they had caught sight of Dante, finally returning from his time alone, watching in amusement as the girls pulled him into the house to smother him, now that Nero and V were gone. The sight had put both men at ease, neither knowing just where Dante had disappeared to, or how he was fairing.

With that last worry put to rest, Nero had hoped that their holiday would go smoothly, but this was the third night in a row that he had woken to V having nightmares. Admittedly though, this was the first time V had been nearly catatonic, but Nero was starting to get worried regardless. This isn't what he had hoped for when they decided to get away from the house.

“V....do you want to go home? The nightmares were getting better there.” Nero made the suggestion hesitantly, not sure what would be best for the other man. Silence met his question, and for a moment, Nero thought that V might have actually dropped off back to sleep – gods knew he needed it – but then his tired voice startled him.

“No, I...I don't want to give up just yet. And you need this holiday as much as I do.” V's thoughtful voice sent a shot of both happiness and worry through Nero. It was pleasing to know that V was thinking of him, but it worried him that he might be doing that at the cost of his own health. Before Nero could voice any of this though, V continued.

“I think that we need to actually get out and do things together, instead of just sitting around the room doing nothing. The rest is nice, but it also gives me too much time to think.” A small smile broke out across V's face, almost hidden where he had burrowed back into Nero's chest. “Besides, weren't we meant to be getting to know each other better? Wasn't that one of the purposes of this time alone together?”

“There aren't any expectations V,” Nero replied firmly. “If we get to know each other better great, but if you also want to just be on your own....well I can live with that too.”

“I don't want to be on my own Nero. You are my mate, and I want to get to know you.” V's voice softened further, becoming almost a whisper so quiet that Nero had to strain his hearing. “And I like you already.”

Happiness bloomed in Nero's chest at the admission, though he tried to tamp it down so as to not end up smothering V in his affections suddenly. It didn't stop him from pulling V closer still, tightening his hold on the other slightly, and leaving an affectionate kiss upon his forehead though.

“I like you too V.” Nero responded, a dorky grin stretching across his face. Nico surely would have teased Nero if she had ever seen it, but thankfully she was over 200 kilometres away and had no way of seeing it. “Let's try to get some sleep then yeah? We'll work out what to do in the morning when we wake up.”

With a sleepy murmur of agreement, V settled more comfortably in Nero's hold, listening as Nero started to hum a quiet lullaby. Soon the exhausted man feel to sleep, Nero staying awake much longer to make sure another nightmare didn't disturb him.

Nero woke the next morning to the small of coffee and something distinctly greasy and delicious. Cracking his eyes open with difficulty, he spied a softly smiling V hovering over him, take away cup of coffee and a bag stained with grease in his hand.

“Wake up Nero. It's after ten already.” V cajoled, waving the food in front of Nero's nose.

With a pout, Nero's hand shot up and grabbed the bag, hugging it to his chest, trying to burrow back under the covers for just a few more minutes of sleep. V laughed lightly at his mate, placing the coffee on the bedside table carefully, before tugging the covers away from Nero's face once more.

“Come on sleepyhead, the coffee will get cold if you wait too much longer.”

With a grumble, Nero hauled himself upright, hand fumbling for the promised coffee, only just managing not to knock the cup over. Gulping down the life giving goodness, Nero became more aware of himself, opening up the bag and devouring the contents within. Perhaps if he had been a little less tired, or a little more aware, Nero might have felt embarrassed by his behaviour, but for now, he was content acting as he was. Fifteen minutes later, Nero was finally fully awake, and he looked up to search the room for V.

Thankfully, the other man hadn't hovered while Nero had been in the process of waking, having left him to his own devices and had settled into one of the widow seats to read. Nero could feel his breath catch in his throat as he took in the sight of V sitting there, the sun streaming through the room and highlighting V's hair gently, and lending a golden tint to his pale skin. A salt laden breeze ruffled the longer strands of hair that had escaped V's messy ponytail, catching on his long, dark eyelashes.

Nero knew just how strong and capable V could be; but in this moment, he looked soft, vulnerable, and so close to breaking that Nero felt fear take hold of him. He wouldn't let V break; would do everything he could to help his mate heal, so that he could take back control of his own life once more. He only hoped that that life would continue to contain him in it, as Nero wasn't sure if he could survive without V in his own life.

Nero quickly ate his breakfast, throwing back the covers and hurriedly changing his clothes. Running a hand through his hair to tame his atrocious bedhead, Nero stepped almost silently towards V, calling out to the other as he reached his side.

“Let's head out now ok?”

V jolted slightly at Nero's words, eyes darting up from his book to take in the sight of the other man standing beside him. “Ah Nero, apologies. I did not hear you get up.”

“No worries V.” Nero held out a hand to help V up from his seat, pulling him up gently, fingers stroking softly over the back of his hand. “So was there anything in particular you wanted to do today? If not, I was thinking we could head down to the markets perhaps, and pick up lunch down there, if that sounds agreeable to you?”

V quietly murmured his assent, hand still clasped in Nero's own, warmer, larger hand; a feeling of warmth spreading through his heart. Looking over at the energetic Alpha, V couldn't help but smile, his lips tilting up ever so slightly, and widening when Nero turned and grinned back at him.

The pair made their way out of the accommodation, V taking note of the little smiles people shot them as they walked past. He heard one older lady commenting to presumably her partner, stating that ' _those two make such a lovely pair. They remind me of us when we were young.'_ The warmth in V's heart spread at that, and he squeezed Nero's hand unconsciously. Nero turned to look at V at the squeeze, smiling warmly at him as he tugged him excitedly towards the market.

Nero was happy that even just a day into their vacation, V seemed to be looking brighter and happier than he had since the whole mess had begun. Nero made it his duty to get V to laugh as much as he could during the morning, bouncing from stall to stall, trying on ridiculous hats and sunglasses, and pulling the dreaded 'duck face' at V and telling him to take his picture. V hid his laughs behind his hand, flushing slightly in embarrassment at Nero's antics, but far to amused also to ask him to stop. And well, if maybe those pictures somehow made it onto Dante, Kyrie, and Nico's phones also, V would just call that payback and call it even.

Nero started to get hungry an hour or so into their adventure, hurrying V over towards a pretzel cart, and ordering 2 large cinnamon pretzels for the pair to share. V smiled slightly at Nero when he handed him his food, and Nero flushed as he remembered the idiot he had made of himself when V had been going into heat. Thankfully V didn't bring it up, and Nero couldn't have been more grateful that Dante wasn't around to do it for him. Or Nico......probably Kyrie too, now that she most likely had heard all about it from the others. Damn, Nero was never going to live it down now.

They turned away from the cart to continue their walk, V reaching out this time to tangle their fingers together again, making Nero's heart beat faster in happiness. He still wasn't sure what it meant to have a mate, nor what it meant to _be_ a mate either, their time together being fraught with strife and unfavourable circumstances, not particularly conductive to establishing a proper mate bond. But all he knew was that he wanted to always be there beside V; to help him with his nightmares, and cheer him on when he kicked the ass of some uppity Alpha who thought that just because V was an Omega, he should bow down to him. It surprised Nero a little, to realise that he was happiest when V was around; and briefly wondered just when V had gained such importance in regards to the state of his emotions. No matter though, Nero thought to himself with a secret smile; neither really knew what they were doing, but it didn't matter, because V seemed to care for him just as much as Nero cared for V.

Of course V didn't eat nearly as much as Nero did, so he ended up handing almost half of his pretzel to the other man, laughing lightly as Nero devoured the food instantly. It was such a couple-y thing to do he realised, smile tugging at the corner of his lips. It seemed that no matter how little idea they had of what they were doing, they seemed to be heading in the right direction.

They had stopped some time later for lunch, talking and spending the time to get to know each other better. It surprised them then, when they realised just how well they already seemed to know one another already. Of course, all of the time they spent in the aftermath together, healing and just _being,_ had brought them closer also _._ It was really mostly the little things that they didn't know now, and they had a lifetime to learn those things. Overall, the meal was pleasant and uneventful – unless you counted Nero accidentally flinging a crab claw at another couple as he struggled to pull the crustacean apart – and V had been pleasantly surprised, and grateful, when Nero had allowed him to pay for the both of them.

Nero merely smiled softly at V's surprised look. “I learn from my mistakes.”

It might have seemed strange and insignificant to others, but to V, the gesture meant a lot. It meant that Nero respected him as a person, and didn't think of him merely as an Omega who could not provide for himself or others. Not that he had thought Nero had really felt that way about him, and even when he had been acting like an idiot, V had sort of understood that that wasn't what Nero had intended with his actions. But still, the action warmed V's heart; affection blooming warmly in his chest.

“How do you like the sound of heading down to the beach for a swim now?” Nero suggested, smile falling from his face as V's froze in place. “V?”

V had stopped walking, feet frozen to the ground as shame and fear ate away at him. No...no he couldn't go swimming....he couldn't because...“People will see the scars.”

Nero cursed himself for a fool as he took in V's whispery soft voice, wavering uncertainly, his hand reaching up to clutch at the cloth covering his chest where the sunburst scar resided. Why hadn't he thought of that? He berated himself angrily, he knew just how much the scarring affected V still; and to a certain extent, himself also. But not for the same reasons as V; for Nero he hated the scars because they were proof that he had not been able to keep his mate safe from harm – that he had failed to protect him. The sunburst nearly completely covered up the long, thin sword mark, but Nero's eyes would find it without fail, knowing that V had nearly died because he hadn't been strong enough.

V...he hated the reminder of what Vergil had done to him; had taken from him – and Nero – and the visual reminder of his weakness and failure rankled. But time, and the support of his friends and mate and helped him work through those dark feelings. They still lingered, and probably always would to an extent; the trauma was too great not to leave it's ugly marks upon him mentally also. Sometimes when he was alone and exhausted from his nightmares, V could almost imagine Vergil's mocking voice inside of his head again; and it made him sick to his stomach. There was also a small fear deep in his mind, that Nero would find his marred skin unsightly (not that he had ever shown a hint of such in all the times he had helped V bathe or change) and eventually leave him because of it. The times when he was feeling more secure within himself, V would quietly curse this part of his mind angrily.

Nero, if he had known, would surely have put those fears to rest, but V could not bring himself to speak of them.

“If you are that worried about people seeing the scars V, you can keep a t-shirt on to cover them.” Nero reassured the trembling V, pulling him into his arms, and stroking over his back soothingly. Unconsciously, his fingers found the exit wound on V's back made by the sword, tracing lightly over the mark, still unable to believe that V had survived the attack. V shuddered at the touch, leaning further into Nero's body.

“But I want you to know, that you don't have to be ashamed of those scars V. They are the proof that you survived an ordeal so great, that I still can't believe you managed to come out of it alive. You took on an extremely strong Alpha – a Sparda at that – and you beat him. I am in so much awe over just how strong and amazing you are.”

“I...I...” V buried his head into Nero's shoulder, deep shuddering breaths escaping him as he listened to Nero's words. “I hate feeling this way; all weak and stupid. I'm stupid.”

“No you're not,” Nero growled at him, surprising V. “I don't want you to think that about yourself, because I certainly don't. No one does. You are so much more than I ever could hope to be. You are my mate and I think you are so incredibly beautiful; no scar is ever going to change that. Not for me.”

V stayed within Nero's arms for a while longer after their outbursts, just breathing in his scent, and letting it calm him. It could have been ten minutes or an hour later when he finally pulled away, a small smile breaking across his flushed face. Nero pulled back slightly further and studied V's eyes, an answering smile stretching across his own face as he saw that the turmoil in V had settled for now.

In the end, V had decided to wear a shirt at the beach, and Nero had playfully pouted and complained that V had taken away his chance to spread sunscreen over his back. V had had to stifle a giggle at the over exaggerated lecherous look Nero had shot him, even going so far as to wink saucily at him, and had offered instead to do the honours for Nero himself. He had nearly fallen over with laughter as Nero had ended up flushing brightly in embarrassment, even as he accepted V's help with an adorable stutter in his voice.

Down at the beach, Nero sat upon one of the hotel's towels spread across the sand, V sitting quietly between his parted legs. He hooked his chin over V's shoulder, wrapping his arms around V's waist, holding him loosely. Earlier, Nero had cajoled V into playing in the water, sputtering and turning towards V in betrayal when the other had sent a wave of water crashing over his head. Turning towards him, Nero had scoffed at the innocent look V sent him, quickly declaring war. V had ended up winning their fight in the end, but that was because he was a dirty cheater – or at least that was what Nero would tell anyone if they asked.

The had swum and played in the surf for hours, before finally retreating back onto the sand when their stomachs had growled in protest. Debating on what they wanted to do, they had eventually decided to eat dinner down on the beach also, one of the hotel staff bringing out a platter of finger food and wine for them to share. Quiet conversation and laughter surrounded their little piece of heaven, neither man realising the intimacy they showed in their interactions. As it had grown late, they sat together and watched the sun slowly sink into the sea, enjoying the quiet peace they had created.

As the stars shined brightly above them, V turned slightly, lips brushing against Nero; leaving a tiny kiss upon the corner of his mouth, eyes clear and shining happily. “I'm glad I met you Nero. No matter all of the horrible things that happened that brought us together, meeting you was one of the best things to ever happen in my life. And well.....I think I might just be falling in love with you.”

Nero's hand rose to cup the side of V's face gently, turning his own head so that their lips could meet in a soft, sweet kiss; lips lingering against each other lovingly.

“I think I might be falling in love with you too V. In fact, I think I might have already fallen.”


End file.
